DILG reinstates Ecija town mayor sacked by Ombudsman

SANTO DOMINGO, Nueva Ecija — Mayor Imee de Guzman, who was removed from office by the Ombudsman last year for alleged unwarranted benefits she gave an amusement firm, was reinstated on Friday by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), following a new ruling dismissing the case against her.

With policemen and supporters, De Guzman returned to the town hall to reclaim the mayoral seat.

Rivals

Mayor Greg Andres, who assumed the post in August last year, initially refused to vacate the office but later relented and accepted the new ruling.

De Guzman and Andres are rivals for the mayoral post in the May midterm elections.

On Aug. 13 last year, the Court of Appeals rejected De Guzman’s petition to stop the Ombudsman from enforcing her dismissal.

The Ombudsman had found De Guzman guilty of grave misconduct for allowing an amusement company to operate without council approval.

Liable

De Guzman was also held liable for failing to take action when the firm allegedly operated an illegal numbers game.

The Ombudsman dismissed De Guzman from service and penalized her with perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

The DILG reinstatement order cited an Ombudsman decision in January which said that she had authority to issue a business permit to operators of Pronda Rides and Perya and the Rivera Baratillo. —Armand Galang